Philly Wine Finder

Chinese Riesling, Spicy Noodles, and Gewurz

The Asian style noodles that accompany our salmon and bok choy are fried in a sesame-chili paste, making them quite hot and spicy. The general wine pairing suggestion for spicy food is to stay away from red, high alcohol, tannic wines and go instead with low alcohol off-dry whites, usually riesling and gewurztraminer.   

So we picked up a Dragon's Hollow Riesling, which claims to be the first premium wine produced in China. The bottle has netting on it and a Chinese coin, which made us suspicious, because we are generally suspicious of such things on wine bottles. The wine is ok, but it didn't taste much like a German riesling, and it didn't pair with the spicy noodles as well as we hoped. Dragon's Hollow riesling has some green apple (sour) flavor but in general tastes like a generic white table wine.

The Ventana Gewurztraminer, on the other hand, is full of lychee fruit flavor and is a good example of California Gewurz. It's a good pairing for this type of food. According to their chalkboard, the PA Wine and Spirits store at 19th and Chestnut is having a tasting of this wine tonight from 5:00-7:00 p.m.

Dragon's Hollow Riesling He Lan Mountain 2008
Luxury Item
PLCB Code: 18571
Size: 750 ML
Price: $10.49

Ventana Gewurztraminer Arroyo Seco 2009
Chairman's Selection^TM
Description from PLCB web site
PLCB Code: 32288
Size: 750ML
Price: $9.99
Compare to prices on wine-searcher.com:  (Avg $13, Min $9, Max $19)
Availability in Pennsylvania:

In Wine & Spirits stores

PAWineTalk

Ernst Bretz Gewurztraminer Spatlese 2009

Big lychee flavors. Solid Gewurz. Don't forget Gewurtztraminer can be a good white for Thanksgiving.

Ernst Bretz Gewurztraminer Spatlese 2009
Chairman's Selection
Description from PLCB web site
PLCB Code: 32318
Size: 750ML
Price: $12.99
Compare to prices on wine-searcher.com:
Availability in Pennsylvania:

In Wine & Spirits stores

Region:    Germany > Rheinhessen
Grape Variety:     Gewürztraminer
Alcohol Content:    9.5%

PAWineTalk

Chairman's Gewurz vs non-Chairman's Gewurz

In the past 2 years there have been a number of outstanding Chairman's Selection Gewurztraminers at amazing prices: Firehose, Helfrich, Alexander Valley, and now Stanza. 

 

Stanza has the classic lychee profile of Gewurz and is smooth and medium bodied. Really delicious and unbeatable at $5.99.

 

We compared Stanza to the non-Chairman's Selection Chateau Ste. Michelle Gewurztraminer and found the Chateau Ste. Michelle to be less aromatic and not as rich tasting. Gewurztraminer lite at almost twice the price.

 

Compare for yourself, but this is why we continue to believe that privatization and the end of  the Chairman's Selection program is not in the best interests of Philadelphia wine consumers. 

 

Stanza Gewurztraminer Monterey 2008
Chairman's Selection^TM
Description from PLCB web site
PLCB Code: 32276
Size: 750ML
Price: $5.99
Compare to prices on wine-searcher.com:
Availability in Pennsylvania:

In Wine & Spirits stores

Region:USA > California > Central Coast > Monterey

PAWineTalk

• Code: 8065
• Description: CHATEAU STE. MICHELLE WASH. GEWURZTRAMINER VI
• Size: 750 ML
• Price: $10.99 Sale $9.49

 

Firehose Gewurz and Lychee Fruit

lychee: An exotically spicy-sweet flavor evocative of the lychee fruit (also called lychee nut) and distinctively characteristic of the Gewurztraminer grape.   The Wine Lover's Companion

We were in Jin's Produce on 20th the other day and noticed some lychee fruit on the counter.  We excitedly bought some cause we are constantly seeing "lychee" in Gewurztraminer tasting notes. The fruit has a hard outer covering which you peel off, then there's a second skin that's kind of like a grape underneath. The fruit is white and very juicy and there's a pit in the middle. And by golly the wine does taste like the fruit! 

"This off-dry Gewürztraminer doesn't just extinguish the fire ignited by your favorite spicy foods, it adds a whole new dimension of flavor and refreshment. The lush flavors of fresh mango, lychee, and passion fruit are captivating. Whether a spicy meal is in your future or you just want to enjoy a great glass of wine, meet your new best friend."
*Winemaker's notes

The fruit was $3.00, the wine $5.99.  There's still loads of this wine at the South Street stores. Get some lychee fruit and try this experiment for yourself!

Firehose Gewurztraminer California 2008
Chairman's Selection
PLCB Code: 32051
Size: 750ML
Price: $5.99

PAWineTalk

 

Fish Tacos and...Gewurz or Chardonnay?

We set out to make San Diego-style fish tacos. We took the essential elements to be (1) white fish (mahi mahi, cod, and halibut were some suggestions, cooked fried, grilled, broiled, whatever) (2) soft corn tortillas  (3) shredded cabbage and (4) the white sauce.

We opted for broiled cod, marinated in olive oil, the juice of 2 limes, some oregano and some cumin; flaked it apart into chunks on the serving plate. The white sauce was made from equal parts mayo and sour cream, with the juice of a lime squeezed in. We added a tomato and avocado salsa because we had an avocado we wanted to put to good use. And of course, sprigs of fresh cilantro.

Just pair it with beer you say? We say nay-nay. Both of these Chairman's Selection white wines worked well: Firehose Gewurtztraminer and Kenwood Chardonnay. The Firehose is a nice inexpensive  summer white to keep around for spicy food (hence the name.) We also love the Kenwood, the oak and vanilla are there but not too obnoxious. 

The Kenwood is around, but you'll have to go to the somewhat skeezy South Street or Fairmount stores for the Firehose. The price is right though, if you like Gewurz.

Firehose Gewurztraminer California 2008
Chairman's Selection
PLCB Code: 32051
Size: 750ML
Price: $5.99
Region:    USA > California
Alcohol Content:    13.5%

Kenwood Chardonnay Sonoma County 2009
Chairman's Selection
PLCB Code: 30899
Size: 750ML
Price: $9.99
Region:    USA > California > Sonoma County
Grape Variety:     Chardonnay
Alcohol Content:    13.5%

 

Got Gewurz?

In her book, The Wine Bible, Karen McNeil says that Gewurztaminer is a wine that people either love or hate.  Count us among the lovers.  We keep coming back to it for our Chinese dumplings dish, but we like it so much we should probably branch out and have it with other meals as well. 

We purchased this one, made by Willm, at Garces Trading Company for $16.99.  This price is a bit on the high side, as Hops and Grapes in NJ has it for $12.99 and Wine Library had it on sale for $10.98 at one time, now sold out.  If you want to stay in the PA system, another option is the Helfrich, although supplies are low in Philly.

Are you a Gewurz lover or hater?  If lover, what do you pair it with?

• Code: 22359
• Description: Willm Gewurztraminer Reserve 2008
• Size: 750 ML
• Price: $16.99
  

 

 

Sublime Pairing: Gewurz and Chinese Dumplings

Welcome Narberth readers!

This Gewurztraminer from Alsace has a lively nose of vanilla, honey, and pear that jumps out of the glass; a full, nectar-like mouthfeel; and a pleasant lemony citrus acidity on the finish.  Classic Alsatian Gewurztraminer.  By itself it could become too cloying, but when paired with homemade Chinese dumplings with ginger and green onion and bok choy sauteed in garlic, this is perfect.  Also might work with Thanksgiving.  A great buy at $12.99. 

Helfrich Gewurztraminer Steinklotz Alsace Grand Cru 2007
Chairman's Selection
PLCB Code: 13590
Size: 750ML
Price: $12.99
Available in Center City stores and Bala, Narberth and Ardmore.  Check PA Wine Availability Map for more details.
PAWineTalk 

CellarTracker

WineSearcher - ($19.87 [NJ] and $21.99 [OR])

Garces Trading Company and PLCB is Amazing!

Garces Trading Company is collaborating with PLCB to offer a liquor store inside the restaurant, which they are calling a BYOB. Controversy aside, from the consumer point of view this is just fantastic. From within the restaurant you can just waltz over to the store (the glassed in area in the picture), buy something, and bring it back to your table.

The selection leans old world, and there seem to be wines here that are not available elsewhere in the state system.  For example there is a decent section of  rosé which is unusual for a PLCB store. Note the elegant way the wines are displayed.

Another nice feature is the number of half bottles available at reasonable prices. We don't usually drink champagne, but this was a special occasion so we started off with a half bottle of Veuve Clicquot (5078) for $24.99. When we purchased it they exchanged the bottle for one that was chilling in a refrigerator. A fine bead of bubbles shot up from the bottom of our glasses!

 

Next we selected a half bottle of Montecillo Rioja Crianza (15662) for, get this...$4.99!  You can get about 2.5 glasses out of these 375ml bottles. Other half bottles available included Chianti and Beaujolais.  As you can see, the stemware provided by Garces was perfect and added to the enjoyment of the wine.  This velvety smooth Rioja went well with our food, which was just incredible.

On the way out we stopped back in the store and picked up some Domaine Hetszolo Dry Furmint (22390) and some Willm Gewurtztraminer (22359).  Garces Trading Company is our new favorite place!  Every restaurant should have a liquor store attached to it!  Thank you Garces and PLCB!

2008 Alexander Valley Vineyards Gewürztraminer New Gewurz

Eric Asimov laments the sorry state of California gewürztraminer in this article, but we found the Chairman's Selection 2008 Alexander Valley Vineyards Gewürztraminer New Gewurz to be a great value at $6.99. Slightly sweet  but not overly so, very smooth and a great match for all kinds of summer food. Use the wine finding tool at PAWineTalk to locate stores that have this wine. 

UPDATE: The following wines have been removed from the list of Chairman's Selections Now In Stores.  There are less than 5 cases available across the state so act fast if you still want them:
Alexander Valley Vineyards New Gewurz Gewurztraminer 2008,  PLCB Code #15889,  $6.99